Gareth Southgate, England’s manager, has excluded Marcus Rashford and Jordan Henderson from his provisional squad for Euro 2024. The group of 33 players training will be reduced to 26 maximum by June 7th, roughly four weeks ahead of their first match against Serbia. Rashford, a participant in the last four major tournaments, and Henderson, a six-tournament veteran and vice-captain, are amongst the noteworthy exclusions.
Rashford’s performance at Manchester United this season has been underwhelming and Henderson has stirred controversy by leaving for Saudi side Al-Ettifaq last summer before joining Ajax in January. Raheem Sterling’s non-inclusion in the broad list is not causing much surprise; Chelsea players Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Levi Colwill are also dismissed.
Luke Shaw makes the list despite his absence since February, along with Harry Kane, Harry Maguire, Anthony Gordon, and Bukayo Saka, who all present recent injury issues. The training team includes multiple players awaiting their first cap. Liverpool young prospects Curtis Jones and Jarell Quansah are among them, as well as promising Adam Wharton. Wharton, a player from Crystal Palace, is joined by teammates Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Dean Henderson.
First-timers Jarrad Branthwaite and James Trafford, joining the senior camp in March, are also part of the squad. The youngest player, at 19, is Kobbie Mainoo, who made a good impression in his debut call up in March. Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins likewise made the extended list.
Southgate noted: “These decisions are hard; we are discussing very skilled players who have been significant in our past successes. As for Marcus, there are players in the same pitch area who have simply had better seasons. Despite Henderson’s best efforts, the key point was the injury he sustained during the last camp, which meant he missed five weeks and hasn’t reached the required intensity since then. He is an exceptional professional, and it was a hard decision to make.” Regarding Shaw, Southgate noted it was a “long shot” for him to participate in the tournament in Germany.
“The manager expressed that the player is facing a challenging situation due to the substantial amount of football he’s missed. As he was our primary left-back, we’ve provided him with additional time to improve. However, it is currently uncertain as to what extent his recovery can be realistically expected. Consultations with both him and the medical team have been held, and we have also maintained close communication with Manchester United. Unfortunately, chances of his comeback are quite slim”, the manager added.